Shaving cream, has my heart.

From time to time I am going to write a post that will offer ideas to keep a little one busy and entertained. Though I only have one kiddo at this point in time, I feel more like I have had a hundred between growing up with so many siblings and also teaching in the elementary school setting. Sometimes my "ideas" of things to do might be classic and boring...such as the good old box of crayons. While sometimes they might be a little more "edgy" and outside of the box.

I figured I would start with shaving cream because it is an old time favorite yet often forgotten. The following is a list of what I like about this activity:

1. It's cheap--only a couple of dollars a can. And I definitely get the cheap stuff. My child is not picky with the scents and flashiness of the can.

2. It's tactile and provides the sensory input young children love.

3. It can even be an academic based activity! Sit your first grader at the table and have him/her practice tracing their spelling words in the shaving cream--How fun would THAT homework be!?

4. While initially causing a good size mess, the end result of the shaving cream (which actually happens to be soap based) after taking a wet cloth to the counter top it cleans VERY nicely and gets any sticky goo up without even scrubbing! If you are still not sold on a shaving cream covered counter top, get a tray or pan and keep the shaving cream on it.

My most favorite reason I like the shaving cream activity is that my Little Liv LOVES it! :)

That's all for now folks. I'll be back again soon!

C is for Crafting

The older I get, the more I enjoy crafting and making "stuff". When I work on a project I get so involved and focused on what I'm doing and making it exactly how I want it to look. It is near impossible, ok-TOTALLY impossible, to do a craft with a toddler under toe. I fully enjoy and am thankful for any time I get to work on something. At some point I will spend time writing a few posts that outline the steps of the "How To" in making some of these items. For now, all you get is a few pictures. Enjoy and leave me comments on what "Do-it-yourself"/"how to" post you would like to see first!



I made this bow to match Liv's Christmas dress-matches perfectly. I will post pictures of her in her dress--so adorable.













I made this holiday centerpiece for under $10!!!




This isn't the best picture but I made the orange hairbow Liv wore to the pumpkin patch. It was quite a festive boutique bow with korkers attached.




One more hairbow :-) As you can see, they are my favorite. Isn't she a cutie!?!






That's all for now, folks! Have a great week!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I made this soup yesterday in the crock pot and it was so fabulous I had to share it with you. I made a few small changes. I did not use green chile peppers (I didn't have them in the house), and I added a can of black beans. Also, instead of water I used low sodium fat free chicken broth. We sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top and of course I had to put a little sour cream on mine too.

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Something's got to give...

And blogging was it, my friends. I've got So.Much.Going.On. And yes, I realize most people do, but really-I am too busy. So busy that I've been told that my to-do list and the many "to do list babies" must be greatly shortened. The problem is that I love what I do and what I'm involved in....I'm enjoying my BCBA classes...love my job...love my church.....I enjoy crafting and couponing and cooking. I even got involved with a local MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers)group-and I'm having a great time with this also.

Did I mention my hubby was away for 3 months? Sooo happy he is home now.

Even though I didn't blog for long, I did enjoy it and would love to start writing again. Maybe I will...maybe I won't...maybe I will on occasion. That is the awesome thing about my blog. There are no rules or due dates--I didn't get in trouble for disappearing for a few months (though they did delete my lovely background which I was unable to locate again).

Anyways, just some rambling. Busy is good for me...it always has been. So, I'm not complaining but just letting everyone know I have not forgotten about my little commentary and will at some point start writing again more frequently.


Happy Holidays Everybody :-)

No Easy Button

Well, it's been a couple of weeks and I figured it was time to squeeze in a new posting. I've been back to work now for two weeks. It's been nice to see my students. My little guys with autism always have stuff to say that makes me laugh. Even on the worse days. So, coming back to school was very tough but my students, one in particular, made it a little easier. Speaking of easier, the one particular student of mine has developed an awesome fixation on the Staples "easy button." Upon going back to work it was the peak of testing season. Testing season really could be a whole other blog and perhaps someday it will be. Anyways, my students worked very hard on their assessment and throughout the whole process my one guy would regularly check to see if there was an "easy button." Myself, and the other teachers would very sadly have to break the news that there was "no easy button" but that we wished their was one as well. I love these kids.

Speaking of autism, April was autism awareness month. I started to write a big-to-do post on the subject but it never got finished. I will come back to it eventually. Matthew and I have almost officially decided I won't teach next school year. I'm going to substitute part time until I start my own business.

Ok-now for some updates! My Olivia is 4 months old now. I CAN'T believe how fast time has flown already. Two weeks ago we got her ears pierced. I wanted to get her ears pierced when she was an infant because I had a lot of issues with mine getting infected as a kid. My hair used to get wrapped around the earing and OUCH! SO, we went to claire's in the mall. It was really nice because they pierced both ears at the same time. She screamed for about ten seconds and that was the end of it! They look so cute. Her ears stick out a little just like her daddy's and they are adorable.

Livvy also had her 4 month checkup. She weighs 12.14 and is 25 inches long. She is still in the 75th percentile for legnth and 25th-50th for weight. My little peanut! I was worried her weight gain wasn't enough but the doctor said she was fine. She's been flipping over from her stomach to her back for a few weeks now. I was mad I missed the first time on that one but all well.

Tonight was the best. We got home from a big BJ's trip. Olivia got fed and then was playing in her jumper. I heard some bodily function noises and of course by the time I got to her she had jumper-ood herself and the contents of her dirty diaper was up to the back of her neck. Unbelievable. Matthew was helping me get her in the bathtub and we were both laughing so hard at her because she just had this look on her face. A little smile and not a care in the world. So, we were cracking up and all of the sudden she let out this big hearty laugh!!!!! It was the first time we've heard a big hearty laugh like that and it was SOOOO CUTE and special. We stood there in the kitchen with the naked poopy baby and I honestly got teary eyed.

Quite often in life I wish there was an easy button. Especially here in the last couple of weeks. I know millions of women do the working mother thing but it is so hard!!!!!! I think it takes a lot of time to adjust to the whole thing but right now I am hating it. I miss Olivia a lot and only get to see her a couple of hours in the evening during the work week. I used to bring a lot of my "school" work home with me to work on. I very quickly figured out this strategy was NOT going to work with an infant at home. House cleaning and laundry have gone out the window. I just can't find balance in my life right now! Oh if only there was an easy button....

Big blue eyes

Ears pierced!

25 ThiNGs oF RaNdOmNeSs

I usually don't "participate" in the facebook stuff but filling out the "25 things" seemed like the thing to do, so I did. I actually enjoyed reading other people's "25things". It was so enlightening some of the stuff I found out about people I knew pretty well (or so I thought). I thought I would post it on here as a blog again just for the heck of it. I probably could write a whole entire blog about each and every one of these in the list....maybe that will happen, at some point.

25. Simply because of where these items come from, I don't eat eggs, I don't drink milk and I don't eat anything "that used to swim"

24. On a high school trip to Argentina, me, Alison, and Kristen got left on the train...with NO thanks at all to me, we somehow found our way.

23. I have a fear of falling down steps and think about falling everytime I walk up and down stairs.

22. I have rear ended many cars and also been pulled over by the Po-Po at least 8 times and somehow have a clean driving record without any tickets or recorded accidents.

21. I have had the chronic habit of plucking my eyelashes since I was five years old.

20. I love to play scrabble (Thank you KK and David =)

19. I am kind of a germaphobe and obsess over germs and touching bacteria in public places.

18. My first job was at the Cracker Barrel..I was 16 and made a hundred bucks a night.

17. The most childhood memories I have are of times I spent at Meggan's house...playing barbies...mermaids in the pool...."little women" on the swing set...street hockey...etc.

16. I love to spend time with children/people with autism.

15. I really like to bake and feed people my baking.

14. I absolutely have the worse time making a decision about anything....feel free to comment if you've been shopping with me.

13. I am directionally challenged and get lost frequently.

12. My sisters and I love "couch time"...this usually consists of PJ's, laptops, TV and a roll of cookie dough.

11. My little dog Bailey goes by many names including but not limited to,mamas little honey bear pea pod boney bones boney macaroni peanut butter buckeye.

10. I have a terrible sweet tooth and cookies are my favorite.

9. I am the worse dancer EVER.

8. Next year I am going to try and start my own Autism consulting business.

7. I frequently get the lyrics to songs very wrong.

6. I am most proud of giving birth to Olivia...3 hours of pushing...was the hardest thing I've ever done.

5. I claim to make the best boxed mac n cheese ever--darn right Stephanie haha

4. I LOVE the beach but am so scared of sandcrabs and seagulls.

3. I have survived an Alison Bite

2. My family is crazy however spending time with them is my favorite habit.

1. Ironically enough, my shortest dating relationship ended up in a marriage to the best, most patient and unselfish person.

Daddy Day

Today Olivia had her first "Daddy Day"--8 hours of uninterrupted quality time with out the mama. I left around 10 in the morning to go to work on VGLA portfolios with a couple of other teachers. When I left Olivia was in her bed playing and her Daddy was in his bed with the pillow over his head. OH BOY. I laid out her clothes for her. In hindsight, I kind of wish I wouldn't have done that--it would have been cute to see what Matthew found to put on her. I guess he will have many more opportunities to pick out her clothes =)

By 11 I had only gotten one phone call asking if he needed to bring anything else for Olivia when they went out to run errands. He had remembered everything though, including the pink Vera Bradley diaper bag which I know he was thrilled to be carrying around. Daddy and Olivia ran errands all day. Matthew did get a 2 hour break when he dropped Livvy at Mimi's so he could go complete some experiment at his brother's job for $100. Not a bad deal.

When I left to come home around 6:30 I called Matthew to check and see how everything was going. He said Olivia had gotten real cranky when they got home. She was hungry so he fed her. She was cranky still so he fed her some more. And then she was still cranky soooo he fed her again. Lucky Livvy got triple helpings of dinner tonight, friends...thank you Daddy! When I walked in the door he was in the bathroom cleaning poop off her sock in the sink. She was half "nekid" laying in her play pen having a grand old time. The poopy diaper was wide open on the floor with Bailey standing nearby. I couldn't help but laugh at the scenerio.

Matthew is a GREAT father to Olivia. He really does take good care of her and is SO particular about her safety. Before she was born he was all about researching infant safety and making sure everything was assembled correctly. He cracks me up with the stroller. We have one of those "travel systems" with the infant car seat that just clicks right on top of the strolled. Matthew has to make sure every single clip is fastened. I usually just click the seat in without fastening all the little "do-jobies." I joke with Matthew like he is going to take Olivia off-roading in the stroller.

All jokes aside though, Olivia has the best Daddy in the whole world and I love him SO much!!!!



This is a picture of Matthew putting Olivia's first diaper on in the hospital right after she was born.



Like father, like daughter--they LOVE to sleep =)



He loves his little girl.